A conservative Supreme Court seemed bent on destroying the New Deal. President Roosevelt wanted Congress to pass a bill adding more justices to the federal judicial system. Barkley supported FDR ...
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A conservative Supreme Court seemed bent on destroying the New Deal. President Roosevelt wanted Congress to pass a bill adding more justices to the federal judicial system. Barkley supported FDR because the court attacked programs for farmers and workers—Barkley’s key supporters. Most Republicans strongly opposed the idea, and many Democrats had mixed feelings about the reform. In the midst of the controversy Senate majority leader Robinson suffered a fatal heart attack. With FDR’s support, Barkley won the Senate’s leadership post. Barkley, however, now led a Senate badly divided not only over the court bill but also over regional issues. A watered-down reform was approved but without changing the number of justices on the Supreme Court. In 1938, Barkley faced reelection competition in the Democratic primary from Governor A. B. “Happy” Chandler. Despite, from Chandler’s perspective, controversy over the campaign, Barkley maintained unbeatable numbers in popular opinion polls and won the primary and the general election solidly.Less

The Majority Leader in Time of Peace

James K. Libbey

Published in print: 2016-03-15

A conservative Supreme Court seemed bent on destroying the New Deal. President Roosevelt wanted Congress to pass a bill adding more justices to the federal judicial system. Barkley supported FDR because the court attacked programs for farmers and workers—Barkley’s key supporters. Most Republicans strongly opposed the idea, and many Democrats had mixed feelings about the reform. In the midst of the controversy Senate majority leader Robinson suffered a fatal heart attack. With FDR’s support, Barkley won the Senate’s leadership post. Barkley, however, now led a Senate badly divided not only over the court bill but also over regional issues. A watered-down reform was approved but without changing the number of justices on the Supreme Court. In 1938, Barkley faced reelection competition in the Democratic primary from Governor A. B. “Happy” Chandler. Despite, from Chandler’s perspective, controversy over the campaign, Barkley maintained unbeatable numbers in popular opinion polls and won the primary and the general election solidly.

The 1932 election found Barkley reelected to the Senate and FDR elected to the presidency. Barkley played a key role in New Deal legislation because of his Senate committees and his close ...
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The 1932 election found Barkley reelected to the Senate and FDR elected to the presidency. Barkley played a key role in New Deal legislation because of his Senate committees and his close relationship with Senate majority leader Joseph T. Robinson. He became the unofficial and then the official assistant Senate majority leader. He worked closely with Leslie L. Biffle, the Senate majority secretary and a lifelong friend. He made the transition from Wilson’s New Freedom to FDR’s New Deal because he felt that government had a role to play in overcoming the Great Depression. Especially on national radio, where he strongly supported it, the New Deal could be identified almost as much with Barkley as with the president. His support and fame prompted FDR to make sure Barkley would once again serve as temporary chairman and keynote speaker during the 1936 Democratic national convention that selected FDR for a second term in the White House. The chapter also introduces the growing international insecurity posed by such powers as Germany, Italy, and Japan.Less

The Assistant Majority Leader and the New Deal

James K. Libbey

Published in print: 2016-03-15

The 1932 election found Barkley reelected to the Senate and FDR elected to the presidency. Barkley played a key role in New Deal legislation because of his Senate committees and his close relationship with Senate majority leader Joseph T. Robinson. He became the unofficial and then the official assistant Senate majority leader. He worked closely with Leslie L. Biffle, the Senate majority secretary and a lifelong friend. He made the transition from Wilson’s New Freedom to FDR’s New Deal because he felt that government had a role to play in overcoming the Great Depression. Especially on national radio, where he strongly supported it, the New Deal could be identified almost as much with Barkley as with the president. His support and fame prompted FDR to make sure Barkley would once again serve as temporary chairman and keynote speaker during the 1936 Democratic national convention that selected FDR for a second term in the White House. The chapter also introduces the growing international insecurity posed by such powers as Germany, Italy, and Japan.

From a nearly imperceptible start, federal policy on comparative effectiveness research gained substantial momentum over its eight-year odyssey and got several legislative toeholds. The story starts ...
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From a nearly imperceptible start, federal policy on comparative effectiveness research gained substantial momentum over its eight-year odyssey and got several legislative toeholds. The story starts in May 2002 with a short bill introduced into the US House of Representatives by Representative Thomas Allen (D-Maine). This bill focused solely on prescription drugs and would have authorized the appropriation of $25 million for comparative effectiveness research to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. It died in committee. The next year Representative Allen and a Republican co-sponsor JoAnn Emerson (R-Missouri) introduced a more ambitious bill that encompassed all treatments, not just drugs. By means of a circuitous path involving Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) many elements of the 2003 Allen-Emerson bill became law as part of the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act passed by the Republican-held Congress and signed by Republican President George W. Bush.Less

The Legislative Odyssey of Comparative Effectiveness Research : Birth in 2002 to the First Federal Mandate in 2003

Carol M. AshtonNelda P. Wray

Published in print: 2013-07-01

From a nearly imperceptible start, federal policy on comparative effectiveness research gained substantial momentum over its eight-year odyssey and got several legislative toeholds. The story starts in May 2002 with a short bill introduced into the US House of Representatives by Representative Thomas Allen (D-Maine). This bill focused solely on prescription drugs and would have authorized the appropriation of $25 million for comparative effectiveness research to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. It died in committee. The next year Representative Allen and a Republican co-sponsor JoAnn Emerson (R-Missouri) introduced a more ambitious bill that encompassed all treatments, not just drugs. By means of a circuitous path involving Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) many elements of the 2003 Allen-Emerson bill became law as part of the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act passed by the Republican-held Congress and signed by Republican President George W. Bush.

Born in humble, rural surroundings in the Jackson Purchase, Barkley grew into a sturdy youth who received an education through parental sacrifices. He graduated from Marvin College as an ...
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Born in humble, rural surroundings in the Jackson Purchase, Barkley grew into a sturdy youth who received an education through parental sacrifices. He graduated from Marvin College as an award-winning speaker and soon moved with his parents to Paducah, where he read law and became an attorney. Barkley entered politics winning elections as county attorney and then county judge: he gained victory through his farmer constituents. In 1913 he moved from courthouse to Congress as a progressive who championed President Wilson’s New Freedom program. During World War I, he favored freedom of the seas to promote agricultural exports and gained national attention by advocating prohibition. In wartime he visited US soldiers on the front lines and in peacetime became a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which enhanced his understanding of international relations. His only electoral loss occurred when he campaigned for governor, but his Kentucky canvass enabled him to win a US Senate seat in 1926. Furious over Republican administrations for their support of high tariffs that hurt agricultural exports and their inability to assist impoverished Americans during the Great Depression, Barkley became a strong supporter and national spokesman for the New Deal. World War II found Senate majority leader Barkley playing a key role in wartime legislation, but he lost favor with President Roosevelt by opposing the president’s expensive revenue bill of 1944. Meanwhile, the senator had maintained close and supportive relations with Truman and joined him as his vice presidential candidate on the 1948 presidential ticket. Barkley became the one and only Veep who turned the vice presidency into an important office. The Paducah politician failed to get his party’s nomination for president in 1952, so he temporarily retired, appearing on his own national television show, and preparing (with help) his autobiography. In 1954 he won election and returned to the US Senate as a junior member.Less

Alben Barkley : A Life in Politics

James K. Libbey

Published in print: 2016-03-15

Born in humble, rural surroundings in the Jackson Purchase, Barkley grew into a sturdy youth who received an education through parental sacrifices. He graduated from Marvin College as an award-winning speaker and soon moved with his parents to Paducah, where he read law and became an attorney. Barkley entered politics winning elections as county attorney and then county judge: he gained victory through his farmer constituents. In 1913 he moved from courthouse to Congress as a progressive who championed President Wilson’s New Freedom program. During World War I, he favored freedom of the seas to promote agricultural exports and gained national attention by advocating prohibition. In wartime he visited US soldiers on the front lines and in peacetime became a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which enhanced his understanding of international relations. His only electoral loss occurred when he campaigned for governor, but his Kentucky canvass enabled him to win a US Senate seat in 1926. Furious over Republican administrations for their support of high tariffs that hurt agricultural exports and their inability to assist impoverished Americans during the Great Depression, Barkley became a strong supporter and national spokesman for the New Deal. World War II found Senate majority leader Barkley playing a key role in wartime legislation, but he lost favor with President Roosevelt by opposing the president’s expensive revenue bill of 1944. Meanwhile, the senator had maintained close and supportive relations with Truman and joined him as his vice presidential candidate on the 1948 presidential ticket. Barkley became the one and only Veep who turned the vice presidency into an important office. The Paducah politician failed to get his party’s nomination for president in 1952, so he temporarily retired, appearing on his own national television show, and preparing (with help) his autobiography. In 1954 he won election and returned to the US Senate as a junior member.